Who among us has not heard of the Maldives? These islands are known as a great place to relax on the beach, largely due to the fact that celebrities come here all the time. The bright sun, the white sand, the countless palm trees and the warm sea come to mind immediately. But is it a reason why tourists come here ?
The Maldives is an island country, located in an archipelago of 1192 islands in the Indian Ocean, only 202 of them are inhabited and about 100 are tourist destinations. The climate here is sub-equatorial: hot and humid in summer and hotter but less humid in winter. Water temperature during the year is around 26 degrees Celsius.
Because of the nature and climate, diving is very popular in the Maldives. There are coral reefs everywhere and visibility in the water is remarkable, sometimes over 50 metres. Nevertheless, be careful, there might be strong currents outside the reef. If diving is not to your liking, then try fishing, windsurfing or another water sport.
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There is only one town in the Maldives, the capital Male, so the historical sites are found only here. The main attraction of these islands is nature. All the atolls are incredibly beautiful and Yeidafushi Island, which belongs to Baa Atoll, is even included in the UNESCO list of protected sites.
After the walk, it’s worth stopping by one of the restaurants in order to try Maldivian cuisine, which is influenced by neighbouring India, Thailand and the Arabian countries. The dishes are usually made of fish, seafood and rice with spices, and fruits at the end . The national dishes are Garudia (flavourful tuna soup), Bis Kemia (fried tuna cakes with cabbage, onion and boiled egg) and Aluvi Boakibaa (sweet cassava and coconut cake).
The islands can be reached either by a direct Aeroflot flight from Moscow or with a connection in the UAE, Qatar or Turkey. If you stay here for no longer than a month, you don’t need a visa.
The national language is Maldivian (Dhivehi), though English is widely spoken in the resorts and towns. The currency is Maldivian rufiya, but almost everywhere you can pay in dollars and euros. The Maldives is a Muslim country, so you should dress appropriately in town with a shirt or blouse, trousers or a long skirt.
The Maldives is an amazing country, but equally entertaining are the curious facts about the country:
- Male is the smallest but most populous capital in the world.
- About 90% of the population lives in Male.
- It is believed that the first settlements appeared on the islands about 5,000 years ago
- Maldives is the smallest Islamic country in the world.
- It is officially forbidden to own dogs, as they are considered unclean by Muslims.
The Maldives is a perfect holiday destination for relaxing on the beach and enjoying the beauty of nature. There are few opportunities for cultural exploration or activity options, but if you’re tired of the hustle and bustle of the city, it’s worth exploring further.
